This week is national Hedgehog Awareness Week. And we in Garvald have even more reason to be Hedgehog aware as we are lucky enough to have a number of these prickly personages resident in the village.

This year efforts are focussed on gardeners. There is so much that gardeners can do to help the hedgehog, very simple things like:

Ensuring there is access into the garden (all that is needed is 5” square gap).
Checking areas before strimming or mowing.
Moving piles of rubbish to a new site before burning it.
Ensuring netting is kept at a safe height.
Checking compost heaps before digging the fork in.
Stopping or reducing the amount of pesticides and poisons used.
Covering drains or deep holes.
Ensuring there is an easy route out of ponds and pools.

If you are lucky enough to see a hedgehog in the village at night time, why not post a comment and let us know? A note of caution should you see one out and about in the daytime though. It is very possibly unwell and in need of help. For more informtion, see the British Hedgehog Preservation Society Website.